Invalid bed



" E. A. MILLER ,9

INVALID BED Filed Nov. 30, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E1] 18 II g. 12% IO ZNI/ENTO/P,

[Ah/000 ,4. MILLER,

March H6, 1948. MILLER 2,438,093

INVALID BED Filed Nov. 30, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 an a-mum! f/vws/vroe, [Lu/000 /4. M/LLf/P Patented Mar. 16, 1948 2.43am v Elwood An. Miller, Indianapolis, Ind.,, assignor E fifty per cent toBenjamin V. Klai-n, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application November 30, 1944, Seria-INo. 565,878

This invention relates to an invalid bed and has for a primary purposethe" formation of a structure so arranged that an invalid even though paralyzed in respect to hisarms and legs may'wlthout outside help cause the bed to shiftinto suchposition that he may assumesubstan-- tially a sitting position, starting from a prone position. A further primary object of the invention is to providesuch a structure in an exceedingly simple form without" complicated parts or mechanisms whereby the bed may beused-not only in hospitals but alsoin. private homes and be readily shifted or rolled through standard doorways.

A still further importantoblect of the invention is to. incorporate means in such a bed as above indicated whereby the. invalid or patientmay be lifted upwardly from the bed: properand lowered by an aid- These and: many other important: objects and advantages of the; ir-ivention will become apparout to those versedin the art-inthe following description of one form: of the invention: as (110W best known to me; as illustrated in the: accompanying drawings, in: which Fig. 1- is a topplan. view of a structure embodying the invention with portions of. the li-f-ti-ng canvas cut away' to disclose under parts;

Fig. 2, a view in rear elevation;

Fig. 3, a view in front elevation;:

Fig. 4, a. view in side elevation with portions cut away to disclose otherwise hidden parts; and

Fig. 5, a view in sideelevation with the bed. shifted toward a. sitting position.

Like characters of reference indicate. like parts. throughout the several views in the drawings.

A base is formed by two side. rails to and H having. at least one cross member 12' intercomnecting those rails. Under the rear portions of the two rails [11 and. f! are. fixed. 'c'asters i3 and. f4" respectively. From the front. or. foot ends of the. side rails l0 and U plates l5 and i6 fixed thereto extend upwardly to have attached thereto large diameter wheels f'l' and t8; The. wheels l"! and t8 are of that naturefto be: revolved by the invalid or patient should. he have sufiicient use of his hands and arms whereby the entirestructure may be movedabcutby-the patient or invalid at will particularly whenhe is "in the sittin'g position.

-liipon any suitable member or-m'emb'er's carried by the base above described, herein shown as posts l9 and 20 each respectively fixed by their lower ends tot-he rails i G and t his lunged am'a- .101 bed panel 2|, herein-"shownas by 22" and 23' interconnecting the posts. t9.- and. 20. at. their upper ends and the underside of the bed: panel. 2.1;

The hinges Z2 and. 23- arepositioned. to: have their common pivot. located; about. midway of. the lengths ofi'the side railsv I10 and;v HP... The; bed panel 21!: is made to: have: alengthasufficient. to: extend rearward-1v or toward the, end of thestructure to-bear normally by an end. portion on a cross member- 24 which: is fixed; across; any" suitable supporting member on members; herein. shown as separate posts 25 and: 256 each carried respectively the rails ill and; H. The panel 2i: is further provided to extend a short: distance forwardly? of. the posts; l d-and Z8.

Hinged. to the base: above described are one or more. members, hereinshown as; two members: 21 and 28;. secured respectively by hinges. 2e and: 30' to the side rails i183 and ii at. theimforward. ends. A second. bed. panel; is hinged byone; end through hinges 315 and 38 to the forward end: of the panel 21. and the hinged members 251 and 28 hingedly' connected. to: its underside bl. means oi the hinges; 3.2 and 33. Al. third bed panel 3k is; hinged by' its-rear end to; the: forward:

end of the panel; H by: of. the: hinges; and 36..

For a bed having; an aipproximate length of, 6; ie'et'and which is to: be covered by'a. suitable-matetress or pad, the preferred dimensions in respect to hinge points are: as tel-lows.

From the tor-ward end of the panel 2%, the hinge axis; of. the hinges 22: and. 23 is '7 inches: to the rear. thereof. Theaxis oi the hinges:

' and 33' is located 9- inchesaheadrof the: axis of the hinges: 3:1 and 3-8; and they overall longitude nal length of the bed panel 3 I. is substantially 16 inches;

Fixed to the panel 21 to extend downwardly thereunder are. a pair of arms .319: and. 40, herein shown as 'ai'igle irons having an upper leg ex;- tended forwardly in each. instance under the panel 2! and beyond its forward end. to have. lengths of those legs presented to form supports for the panel at when in its posit-inn as indicated in Fig. 4. Therarm-AI). in each instance exten'dsdownwardly to receive forwardly extendingrods- M and 42 pivotally connected therewithon centers: 11' inches below the underside of thepanel 21., and 11 inches back of the forward end of the panelfil. These two rods 4i and '42 are carried forward-1y to have their forward ends. pivotally engaged in brackets 43 and d4, fixed int'rimsversely' spaced-apart relation to theunders de-of the panel- 31% substantially 13 inches from the axis of the hinges 35 and 36. In order to effect clearance, these rods 4| and 42 are bent so that a rear portion extends in substantially a horizontal position, Fig. 4, and thence upwardly to the brackets 43 and 44, all when the panels 2| 3|, and 34 are in extended positions to present a continuous planar surface thereover.

The proportioning of the various members above described in respect to the panels and their supports and interconnections are made to be such that when the invalid is placed upon the panels 2|, 3|, and 34 serving as the bed (it being understood that some padding or a mattress be employed thereover) the hip joints of the m valid will be substantially over or just to the rear of the axis through the hinges 31 and 38, forwardly of the axis through the hinges 22 and 23. i

The opposing ends of the panels 2| and 3|, and 3| and 34, are preferably covered over by any suitable material in the form of bands 45 and 46 that will not bend to enter the bed, the material bein preferably leather; The invalid may so contract his muscles particularly through the hips and thereabove as to tend to shift his weight over the axis of the hinges 22 and 23 to cause the intermediate bed panel 3| to lower by its rear end through rearward rocking of the members 21 and 28, causing a corresponding upward tilting of the head portion of the panel 2| whereby the various members will assume those positions indicated in Fig. 5, whereby the invalid may assume a sitting position even though he is not able to move his legs or arms. An important advantage of this action is that the invalid gains confidence that he is able to control himself to some extent at least in changing from the prone to a sitting position whereby that despairingly helpless feeling is tended to be removed and a. better mental attitude is achieved which in itself is an aid to recovery from the paralyzed condition, if such be possible. To hold the bed panels 2|, 3|, and 34 in the straight planar conditions as indicated in Fig. 4, a hand latch 4'! is fixed to the topside of the cross member 24 in the rea of the structure to rock horizontally and carry the lip 48 over the topside of the panel 2|, Figs. 1 and 4. To further promote comfort a foot board 49 is hingedto the foot end of the bed panel 34 to hinge thereto from the topside so that when not in use it may be swung back over the topside of the panel 34 as indicated by the dash lines in Fig. 4.

Now to lift the invalid upwardly from the bed panels. two fabric sections '58 and 5| are employed, the junction between these two sections coming substantially at the lower end of the bed panel 2|, Fig. 1. These fabric sections are each provided with a hem along the outer longitudinal margins to receive therein rods or pipes 52 and 53 in the section 58, and 54 and 55 in the section 5|. The hems are cut away to permit a plurality of straps 56 on the one side to engage the pipe 52, and a like number of straps 51 to engage the pipe 53 on the other side. These straps 5'! herein shown as two in number are carried upwardly to have their upper ends carry hooks 58 to engage through eyes 59 provided in a horizontally disposed pipe or bar 6| spaced upwardly from the right hand edge of the panel 2|. In the same manner the straps 56 have their upper ends interengaged with the pipe 68 which is in parallel relation with the pipe 6| but located above the left edge of the panel 2| These pipes 68 and 6| are respectively carried over brackets 62 and 65 on he one side and 63 and 64 on the other side. These brackets 62 and 63 are eachfixed respectively on the top ends of pipes or tubes 68 and 61 which telescope over posts 68 and 69 fixed to the posts 25 and 26 respectively.

The lower ends of the'tubes 66 and 61 have brackets 18 and II fixed thereto through which any suitable securing means, herein shown as thumb screws 12, extend to engage the posts 68 and-69 therewithin. The brackets 18 and II likewise carry forwardly and upwardly extendin braces I3 and 14. In turn the braces 13 and I4 carry the brackets 65 and 64 respectively in such manner that the pipes 68 and 6| are maintained in substantial horizontal alignment parallel one with the other. By adjusting the brackets 18 and H vertically along the posts 68 and 69, the pipes 68 and 6| may be changed in elevation if desired.

The fabric section 5| has straps T5 and 16 engaged with the pipe 54 by their lower ends and engage through hooks 58 with the pipe 68 thereabove; In the same manner straps H and 18 are fixed by their lower ends to the pipe 55 and interengage with the pipe 6| through similar hooks. The brackets 62 and 63 each carry on their rear sides a worm 19 and 88 respectively fixed on an interconnecting shaft 8 I, to be in engagement with worm wheels 82 and 83 fixed respectively to the rear ends of the pipes 68 and 6|. As previously indicated, these pipes 68 and 6| are free to be lifted upwardly from their respective supporting brackets 62, 63, 64, and 65 so that they may be taken out of the way if their use is not desired. In order to prevent rocking of these pipes 68 and GI over the brackets 64 and 65, pins 8.4 and 85 are passed through the brackets 62 and 63 over the respective pipes. On one end of the shaft 8| which is carried beyond one of the brackets,

'herein shown as the bracket 63, the crank 86 will be applied as means for rotating the shaft. The worms 19 and 88 are one left-hand and one righthand in respect to each other whereby the pipes 68 and 6| will be oppositely revolved to wind preferably the straps over and around the out and topsides of those pipes. By thus manipulating the crank 86, to revolve the pipes 68 and 6 both fabric sections 58 and 5| may be lifted through the respective straps secured to the carrying rods. By use of the worm gearing, the invalid may be left suspended above the table for a period if so desired without danger of his dropping.

A curved pipe 81 has its ends telescoping with the pipes 68 and BI, not only as a means for maintaining fixed parallel relation therebetween but also to carry a supporting post 88, the lower end of which may rest on the floor, and the upper end of which may carry a telescoping rod 89 to engage with the curved pipe 81. A thumb screw 98 passing through the upper end of the post 88 engages the rod 89 to hold it in any desired position of elevation. Not only does this post 88 serve to steady the pipes 68 and 6|, but it also prevents tilting of the entire structure when the invalid is able to use his arms and reach up to grasp the pipes 68 and 6| to pull himself to a standing position in an attempt to use his legs or put his weight thereon.

While I have-herein shown and described my invention in more or less minute detail in the one particular form illustrated, it is obvious that mechanical changes and dimensions may be employed different from those above set forth, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A structure constituting an invalid bed and chair to be operated by the invalid through muscular tensioning to vary applied pressure of the invalids body to different zones of the structure, comprising a foundation; a major length panel; a fixed fulcrum member carried by the foundation located under said panel, hinge means interengaging said member and said panel to have a hinge axis substantially in the plane of said panel and removed substantially of a unit from the foot end of the panel; a second panel substantially ,5 units long hinged by one end to the foot of said major panel; a fixed length, rigid member hinged by a lower portion to said foundation and by an upper portion to said second panel on an axis substantially in the plane of that panel to have that axis substantially of a unit from said major panel foot end; a third panel hinged by an end to the foot end of said second panel; the total extended length of all of said panels being substantially 6 units; an arm fixedly carried by said major panel to extend below its underside; a rod pivotally connected to said arm at substantially units back of said major panel hinge axis and 1 952 units therebelow; and said rod having its forward end pivoted to said third panel substantially 1 units therealong from its hinge connection with said second panel.

2. An invalid bed and chair comprising a foundation, a fixed support carried by the foundation; a major bed and back panel hingedly carried by said support; an intermediate panel hinged by a rear end to the forward end of said major panel; a rockable, rigid member hingedly carried by one end portion by said foundation and hinged at a fixed location to said intermediate panel, said location being spaced between the rear and forward ends of the intermediate panel removed from the forward end of the intermediate panel; a foot panel hinged by a rear end to the forward end of said intermediate panel; arm means depending from said major panel to the rear of its hinge connection with said fixed support; and rod means rockably connected to said arm means and to the forward end portion of said foot panel, whereby all of said panels may initially be placed in an end to end planar condition for a bed, and upon pressing downwardly on the rear end of said intermediate panel and the forward end of said major panel between said fixed and rockable supports, said panels will shift to a chair conformation under control solely by said rod means.

ELWOOD A. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 76,747 Gray Apr. 14, 1868 202,936 Doll et al Apr. 30, 1878 244,806 Henn July 26, 1881 545,741 Shutters Sept. 3, 1895 879,442 Clemetson Feb. 18, 1908 1,243,887 Stark Oct. 23,- 1917 1,529,699 Hawk Mar. 17, 1925 1,709,137 Loxley Apr. 16, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 293,818 Germany Aug. 30, 1916 

